In its 2015 State of the Water Industry Report, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) reports that renewal and replacement of aging infrastructure is cited by utilities as one of the top five most important issues they face. Following AWWA’s best management practices, Tampa Bay Water’s rates include the full cost of providing water service, and include renewal and replacement costs as well as the cost of collecting, pumping, treating, disinfecting, storing and transporting water.
Just like preventive maintenance keeps your car running reliably, a well-planned renewal and replacement program keeps our system running reliability. Maintaining existing infrastructure improves operational efficiencies, ensures reliability and prevents service disruptions. Tampa Bay Water is using a new computer program to plan and track maintenance needs. A few of the larger projects currently in progress include:
Cross Bar Ranch Wellfield Pump Replacement – $ 2.6 million project to replace 35-year-old well pumps, motors and electric gear at all 17 wells at Cross Bar.
US 41 AND Odessa Pressure Modifications – $1.5 million project will make these pump stations operate more efficiently under lower flows and pressure.
Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination Plant Intake Piping Replacement $6 million effort replaces this critical intake pipe system, including minor pump station improvements, which feeds the facility with seawater from the Big Bend Power Plant’s intake pipe.
Tampa Bay Water is also working on a number of smaller scale renewal and replacement projects that range from electric improvements to pipe repairs. Big or small, each project is important to maintaining a reliable supply of water to our members and the 2.3 million residents they serve.
